Early Returns Exceed Expectations for Connecticut's CTfastrak BRT System

The $567 million CTfastrak bus rapid transit system opened for business on March 2, 2015. Since then, the system has provided transit service to a growing number of people.

2 minute read

May 9, 2015, 9:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Scott Whipple reports on the early returns for the CTfastrak bus rapid transit system, which has opened to growing ridership numbers that have exceeded expectations: "More than 150,000 rides have been taken on the CTfastrak Bus Rapid Transit system in the five weeks since operations began on March 2," writes Whipple.

Connecticut DOT officials quoted in the article note that daily ridership on the CTfastrak system currently exceeds 7,000 rides a day. Planners had targeted 11,200 daily rides for both the CTfastrak system and the CTTransit bus routes along the new corridor. Already, combined ridership is over 14,000.

Whipple also sums up the CTfastrak system, for the uninitiated:

"The transit system provides direct service to and from Waterbury, Cheshire, Southington, Bristol, Plainville, New Britain, Newington, West Hartford, Hartford, East Hartford and Manchester. It offers a one-seat, no-transfer ride to many major regional employment, shopping and health care destinationsm as well as connections to the New Haven Line-Waterbury branch rail in Waterbury and Amtrak service in Hartford. A new 4.5 mile multi-use trail now parallels the bus-only roadway from New Britain to Newington Junction."

A system map is also available online.

In a separate article, Don Stacom reports on the popularity of the late-night BRT service serving the university town of New Britain, Connecticut as part of the newly launched CTfastrak system.

"Since CTfastrak started running at the end of March, Central Connecticut State University students have embraced it as a safe, low-cost ride home on Thursday nights. For $1.50, they ride from East Street — near dorms and many off-campus apartments — to the cluster of clubs just a block or two from Union Station [in Hartford]."

Stacom describes the scene on the bus when the late-night service is in effect as well as making the case for the kind of revelry that is permitted on the bus. 

Thursday, May 7, 2015 in New Britain Herald

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 11, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of Shirley Chisholm Village four-story housing development with person biking in front.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning

SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

June 8, 2025 - Fast Company

Yellow single-seat Japanese electric vehicle drivign down road.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs

The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

June 6, 2025 - PC Magazine

White Waymo autonomous car driving fast down city street with blurred background at night.

Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars

Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.

45 minutes ago - Smart Cities Dive

Two small wooden one-story homes in Florida with floodwaters at their doors.

As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?

With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.

2 hours ago - Governing

People riding bicycles on separated bike trail.

With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike

For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.

4 hours ago - UNM News